Vertically adjustable school desk with an inclined top

ABSTRACT

A school desk comprises an oblique desk top arranged between two spaced vertical side boards. The desk has a compartment on which the side of the desk remote from the user, which adjoins the desk top, extends over the whole width of the desk and is accessible from above. A covering board of the compartment is capable of being slid between a closing position and an oblique use position and a non-use position in which the covering board is covered by the top of the desk. This sliding movement is made possible by means of guide grooves and guide rails arranged on the inner side of the desk. On each side of the desk there is a lower support and each such support is adapted to be slid into a cavity between the associated side board and the compartment side wall spaced from the side board. The support can be attached in a detachable manner at different vertical positions on the side wall of the compartment. On the side remote from the user of the desk the desk top is connected by means of a hinge at the top of the front wall of each support accommodating space. The upper connecting board extends at the same height as the surface of the covering board in the closing position and on the extended compartment side wall the guides for the covering board are arranged. In the oblique position the covering board lies on a frame board connected integrally with the desk side boards and the front wall. In a coplanar position it lies with the covering board in its closing position on the support rail, which is pivoted on the side, adjacent to the user, of the frame board and can be swung upwards into a vertical support position.

United States Patent 1191' Flototto 14 1 Feb.'26, 1974 [76] Inventor: Fritz Flototto, 4830 Gutersloh l6,

Gutersloh, Germany [22] Filed: June 21,1972 211 App]. No.: 264,822

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 30, 1971 Germany P 21 32 626.1

Dec. 10, 1971 England 57,589/71 Nov. 2, 1971 Austria 9442 [52] US. Cl 312/231, 312/194, 312/249, 312/256 [51] Int. Cl A47b 27/00 [58] Field of Search... -312/2l5, 23 0, 235, 247, 249, 312/255, 29, 25, 194, 195; 297/174, 135; 108/1 8, 172, 93, 75; 248/456, 441, 188

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 764,832 7 1'904 Valentine 312/194 1,705,151 3/1929 Card... -312 194 1,999,157 4/1935 Rand 312/194 x 1,959,761 5/1934 Knox 312 194 2,215,657 9 1940 Anderson 312 235 R 2;341,914 2 1944 Fleischman.. 312 297 x 2,459,257 1/1949 Wood..: 297/172 2,567,536 9/1951 Wolters et al-.. 312/297 x 2,659,649 11/1953 Kump 312 249 3,208,409 9/1965 02116 108/25 x FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 176,884 5 1935 Switzerland 297 172 432,957- 12/1911 France 312/297 Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Schuyler, Birch, Swindler, McKie & Beckett [57] ABSTRACT A school desk comprises an oblique desk top arranged between two spaced vertical side boards. The desk has a compartment on which the side of the desk remote from the user, which adjoins the desk top, extends over the whole width of the desk and is accessible from above. A covering board of the compartment is capable of being slid between a closing position and an oblique use position and a non-use position in which the covering board is covered by the top of the desk. This sliding movement is made possible by means of guide grooves and guide rails arranged on the inner side of the desk. On each side of the'desk there is a lower support and. each such support is adapted to be slid into a cavity between the associated side board and the compartment side wall spaced from the side board. The support can be attached in a dctachable manner at different vertical positions on the side wall of the compartment. On the side remote from the user of the desk the desk top is connected by means of a hinge at the top of the front wall of each support accommodating space. The upper connecting board extends at the same height as the surface of the covering board in the closing position and on the extended compartment side wall the guides for the covering board are arranged. In the oblique position the covering boardlies on a frame board connected integrally with the desk side boards and the front wall, In a coplanar position it lies with the covering board in its closing position on the support rail, which is pivoted on the side, adjacent to the user, of the frame board and can be swung upwards into a vertical support position. 1

11 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEB26. 1974 794,397

SHEET n BF 9 v Fi .7

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PATENTEDFEBZSW 3.794.397

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Fig. 12 e9 96 88 97 r l in M!) III R VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE SCHOOL DESK WITH AN INCLINED TOP The present invention relates to school desks, and more particularly to such desks with an oblique top, that is to say means constituting a writing surface, arranged between two spaced vertical side boards, a compartment, on the side of the desk remote from the user, which adjoins the desk top, extends over the whole width of the desk and is accessible from above, a covering board for the compartment, the covering board being capable of being slid between a closing position, an oblique use position and a non-use position in which the covering board is covered by'the desk top, this sliding movement being made possible by means of guide grooves and guide rails arranged on the inner side of v the desk, and, on each side of the desk, a lower support,

each such support being adapted to be slid into a'cavity between the associated side board and a compartment side wall spaced from the side board and the support can be attached in a detachable manner at different vertical positions on the side wall of the compartment.

ln'the case of a previously proposed school desk of this type, in which the side boards of the desk are of moulded synthetic resin, the guide grooves and sliding rails for the covering board are arranged respectively on the inner side of the side boards above the respective space accommodating the supports and are made integrally with the side .boards. The side walls of the compartments, on which the supports can be attached at different vertical positions, form the lateral limits of the compartment and, for forming the support cavity, are attached by means of screws onto spacers projecting from the side boards. In its oblique position the top of the desk rests on flanges extending inwards from the side boards and is firmly screwed on it. Furthermore, inwardly extending resilient rails attached to the side boards fit into corresponding grooves of the desk top in order to provide a completely rigid attachment of the desk top between the side boards. The desk top therefore also serves the purpose of ensuring that the desk is fully rigid.

. Owing to the construction of the desk so as to allow vertical adjustment and owing to the advantageous design owing to the desk top being able to be readily moved into several positions forthe desk compartment such a schooldesk generally fulfills all requirements which have to be met by school desk constructions. The possibility of adjustingit in a number of different waysmakes it possible for the desk to be-used not only for the school but also as a home desk or typists table etc. It has also been found that in many applications it is convenient to provide a continuous, large desk top, which is not divided into an oblique desk top and an adjoining covering board.

One aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a school desk of the above described type in which the desk top is adjustable so that it can be moved between an oblique position and a second position, in which thedesk board forms a continuous, even surface with, the covering board, while maintaining the advantages of vertical adjustability. A further aim of the invention is to provide a desk which is simple and robust in construction and in use so that it is capable of meeting the requirements for school use.

The present invention consists in a school desk comprising an oblique desk top. arrangedbetween two spaced vertical side boards, a compartment, on the side of the desk remote from the user, which adjoins the desk top, extends over the whole width of the-desk and is accessible from above, a covering board for the compartment, the covering board being capable of being slid between a closing position, an oblique use position and a non-use position in which the covering board is covered by the desk top, this sliding movement being made possible by means of guide grooves and guide rails arranged on the inner side of the desk, and, on each side of the desk, a lower support, each such support being adapted to be slid into a space between the associated side board and a compartment side wall spaced from the side board and the support can be attached in a detachable manner at different vertical positions on the side wall of the compartment, characterised in that on the side remote from the user of the desk the desk top is connected by means of a hinge at the top of the front wall of each support accommodating space, the upper connecting board extending at the same height as the surface of the covering board in each closing position and on the extended compartment side wall the guides for the covering board are arranged, and in the oblique position lies on a frame board; connected integrally with the desk side boards and the front'wall and in a coplanar position lies with the covering board in its closing position on a support rail, which is pivoted on the side, adjacent to the user, of the frame board and can be swung upwards into a vertical support position.

This construction, in accordance with the invention, of the school desk not only leads to a design in which the desk top, which in the normal position'is oblique, can be swung up into a horizontal position in which it is coplanar with the covering board in its closing position and can be supported reliably on a support rail in this position, but also improves the possibilities as regards vertical adjustment to the desk and the possibilities of guiding the covering board without it being necessary to accept a reduction in the volume of the compartment or another advantage owing to this change in form as a price of the improved possibilities. The side walls of the compartment are extended up as far as the level of the surface of the covering board and on their inner sides the guide grooves and sliding rails, necessary for displacement of the covering board, are arranged. Furthermore, the compartment side walls are extended towards the user in order to provide for the possibility of constructing the guide rails and guide grooves as-required for displacement of the covering board into the non-use position and to support the sliding rails. With this construction there is the simultaneous advantage that the extended parts of the side walls of the compartment close the space below the desk top from the hinges. The upper closing boards of the support cavities are at the same level as the surface rangedat this position provide for the possibility of a particularly robust hinged connection between the desk top and the rest of the desk.

The length of the covering board is shorter than in the previously proposed design .so that no guidance problems can arise and the covering board cannot become jammed on being slid.

Since in the case of the construction in accordance with the invention the upper closing boards of the support accommodating cavities lie at the same height as the surface of the covering board, the supports can be pushed for a considerable distance into the body of the desk so that the school desk in accordance with the invention can be reduced to a still smaller height than the previously proposed school desk.

Owing to the use and construction in accordance with the invention of a frame board which is integrally connected with the desk side boards and the front wall of the compartment there is an increased stability or rigidity of the desk body. Furthermore, the abovementioned connecting operations are no longer necessary, which have been required in the previously conventional manner of attaching the desk top to the side boards. 4

The use, in accordance with the invention, of a support rail, on which the end, nearest the user, of the desk top is supported in its horizontal position, provides for a reliable continuous supporting of the edge of the desk top so that this design fulfils requirements to be set as regards robustness and rigidity in the case of a school desk.

In accordance with a further development ofthe invention there is the provision that the edge, remote from the user, of the desk top is convex in profile and the corresponding mating surfaces on the front wall of the support accommodating space and the edge, adjacent to the covering board in the closing position, of

' the front wall, for providing a joint engagement, are

constructed with the above-mentioned edge ofthe desk top with a corresponding concave profile and the desk top is pivotally connected with the front wall of the support accommodating space respectively by means of a film or foil hinge. This provides for a transition without any gap between the connecting positions or joints of the desk top with the covering board and with the upper closing board of the support accommodating spaces in every position of the desk top.

In accordance with a further preferred feature of th invention there is the provision that for limiting the movement of the desk top when it is swung upwards on both sides of the desk and spaced from the pivoting axis on the lateral edge of the lower side of the desk top there is a respective arm with an abutment head at its end'and this arm comes into engagement with an inwardly projecting counter abutment on the cooperating side board in the highest position of the desk top.

In order to provide a particularly simple and reliable design for the upwardly pivoting support rail it is possible to provide the feature that the support rail is pivoted directly behind the framing edge of the frame 7 board for the desk top and in its supported position abuts against the framing edge. In the non-use position the support rail lies flat against the frame board.

In accordance with a further development of the invention there is the provision that the compartment side walls are constructed with the remaining compartment walls, the walls of the support accommodating cavity and the frame board as a single injection moulded synthetic resin component. Consequently the desk body has an increased degree of stability owing to this. Furthermore, the guide grooves and sliding rails can be constructed on the compartment limiting walls integrally with the latter aswas previously the case. Furthermore, other parts such as the counterabutment, the hinged part for the support rail and the desk top can be made integrally together as well with their connecting fittings within a single injection moulding operation.

In the case of this integral construction of the desk body the side wall boards and the trough, which form the front and rear wall and the bottom of the desk compartment, form a stable box consisting of one piece,

and the zone of the oblique desk top forming part ofthe desk body has a particularly stable construction owing to the fact that the side parts, which extend toward the user, merge in one part into a frame board or plate running between the two side parts. The latter immediately adjoins at its edge remote from the user the front wall of the desk trough so that the stability of the desk body is additionally increased. Furthermore, the compartment side walls, on which the supports are to be attached in a vertically adjustable manner, are also made integrally with the desk trough so that the forces to be transmitted by the support to the side wall can be read- -ily transmitted to the remaining desk body and taken up at this position.

A particular advantage of the invention is that the connecting elements, previously required, and the attachment operations are not required, since the components which would otherwise have to be connected with each other and fixed in place the synthetic resin injection moulding machine as a single part. It is not necessary to construct male and female joint parts for connecting the components together. The improvement of the desk is no longer impaired by external screw heads and the like. The various walls and boards have a sufficient degree of accuracy as regards their mutual arrangement and as regards their dimensioning. When the desk is loaded, no relative displacements of adjacent parts of it are possible so that no undesired creaking for other noises can be produced.

his preferred to use polystyrene with a foaming agent as a synthetic resin material. This materialis foamed to a density of approximately 0.7 to 0.9 in the injection mould. By making suitable use of a foaming agent completely smooth exposed surfaces are obtained. The walls of the desk body are highly scratch resistant if a suitable composition is used and have properties similar to those of wood.

For injection moulding the school desk in accordance with the invention use is preferably made of a processing machine which is in a position to injection mould about 6 kg of synthetic resin in one injectionoperation can be carried out comparatively rapidly,

something which is reflected by the materialin the strength and surface consistency of the injection moulded product. In this manner very rational mass production of a high quality single piece desk body in accordance with the invention is made possible.

The school desk in accordance with the invention can further include the feature that at the top of the inner side of the support rail a setting lever consisting of a shank and an angled handle is provided and the lever is guided longitudinally in a guide slot running transversely in relation to the support rail in the troughand the handle extends for actuation below the slot. For raising the desk top into its upper horizontal position the handle of the setting lever is grasped and pulled towards the user and the setting lever which is guided in the guide slot and is connected with the support rail swings the latter upwards and the support rail itself raises the desk top into its horizontal position during this movement.

In order to ensure that the handle of the setting lever below the frame board does not cause any interference and is not displaced unintentionally, it is possible to adopt the feature that the frame board on the inside has a downwardly opening box-shapedraised portion with an upper part having the guide slot and the handle of the lever moves within the raised portion during the sliding movement. In this manner the handle projects below the-guideslot and can be moved so as to be par- FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the school desk with the compartment opened, that is to say the with the covering board in its non-use position.

FIG. 8 is a section of the school desk along the section line VIIIVIII of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view, similar to that of FIG. 8,

v to show a further preferred means for raising the support rail and the desk top by means of a setting lever and for holding them in the raised horizontal position.

FIGS. 10 and 11 represent respectively a plan view and a front view (in section) of the desk body at a position adjacent to the means shown in FIG. 9.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show a plan view and a front view of the setting lever of the means shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 14 is a view similar to that of FIG. 9 for indicating the manner of operation of the means of FIGS. 9 to 13.

From FIGS. 1 and 2 it can be seen that the main parts of a school desk are'a desk body I and two supports 3 with feet 14. The body 1 incorporating a desk compartment 6 is limited laterally by respective side boards 2, whose extensions 2a are connected below the desk top 4 with a frame board 70 in a fixed manner. The frame allel to the guide slot, but it remains in every position above the lower plane of the frame board.

In order that the first phase of the upward movement of the support rail into its nearly vertical position is facilit'ated it is possible to provide a feature that the setting lever is pivoted on the support rail by means of a pin, which is journalled in a slot formed by two bearing eyes formed on the support rail so that the pin can rotate and slide, and the bearing eyes accommodate the front end of the setting lever between them and for raising the front part of the lever two pairs of shaped slidvides an additional rest for books, magazines, pens, pencils etc., which after the user has pivoted the desk top up into the end position, which extends beyond the horizontal position of the desk top, are readily accessible.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. v FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a school desk with a desk top in an oblique setting. I

FIG. 2 is a perspectiveview of'the desk of FIG. 1 with the desk top in its raised position.

FIG. 3 is a section on the'line III-III of the school desk as shown in FIG. 2, the compartment side walls and their extensions being omitted.

FIG. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of a part of the school desk of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is the users view of a part of the school desk with the desk top in its raised horizontal position.

FIG. 6 is a section of the desk on the section line VI-VI of FIG. 2.

board 70 merges at its end remotefrom the user with receptacle 9 is constructed. The desk compartment can be closed by means of a covering board 5, which in the closed position forms with the adjacent surfaces of the upper closing boards 75 a continuous and plane desk top surface. In connection with this invention the term front denotes the portion of the desk nearest the user, and the term rear denotes the portion of the desk remote from the user. v

The actual desk top, denoted byreference numeral 4, can be moved between an oblique position (see FIG. 1) and a horizontal position (see FIG. 2). In the horizontal position the desk top 4 is supported by means of a support rail 76 which can be pivoted upwards and in its erected position lies against framing edges 7.7 and a middle part 78 of the frame board 70. The trough-like receptacle 9 is'readily accessible when the desk top is pivoted into its extreme uppermost position, as is indicated in FIG. 2 in broken lines, see reference numeral 4'. In the horizontal, raised position of the desk top 4 in accordance with FIG. 2 there is a continuous, plane desk top surface,which includes the surfaces of the covering board 5, the desk top 4 and the upper closing boards 75. I

In what followsdetails of the above-mentioned desk construction are explained.

Asappears from FIGS. 6 and 7, support accommodating cavities 71 are arranged underneath the upper closing board and into the cavities 71 the supports 3 can be slid in through holes which are not ,shown and can be fixed at various different heights on the compartment side walls 44. The support accommodating cavities are shown only diagrammatically in FIG. 6. Their interior profile corresponds to the various guidingfaces on the supports 3, so that the latter are guided satisfactorily vertically in the support accommodating cavities 71 and undesired movements arenot possible. The vertically adjustable attachment of the supports 3 inside the support accommodating cavities 71 is preferably brought about'by a screw connection, which can be readily undone, using a single screw 51 which fits into an embedded nut (not shown) in the upper support part. In the vertical longitudinal hole or'slot 52 shown in FIG. 7 the screw can be set at a number of different heights corresponding to conical holes 53. It can furthermore be seen that an embedded spring 54 is provided which snaps into correspondingly constructed notches on the narrow sides of the supports so that the various vertical positions can be rapidly located by means of this detent spring and can then be quickly fixed by tightening the screw 51. The compartment side walls 44 can either be directly adjacent to the front and rear walls 41 and 42 of the desk compartment 6 and merge integrally with them, or, as is indicated in FIGS. 7 and 8, can be connected at this position by means of struts formed in an integral manner. In either case the bottom 43 of the desk compartment is rigidly and integrally connected with the compartment side walls 44.

On the other side of the support receiving cavities 71 the side boards 2 are opposite to the compartment side walls 44 as an external cover or abutment (see FIG. 6), while on the front side a firm front wall 74 and on the rear side the rear wall 42 of the desk body are provided. The boards 75 forms the upper closing board in the case of both support receiving cavities. It will readily be understood that in the case of a complete single piece construction of the desk body having the abovementioned walls as a synthetic resin injection moulded part using polystyrene structured foam material a very stable construction is produced both as regards the desk body itself and also for the support accommodating spaces 71, which have to transmit considerable loads via the supports 3 to the remaining parts of the body of the desk.

FIG. 7, and more especially FIG. 8 show the guiding mechanism for the cover board 5, which can be displaced between a closing position (FIGS. 1 and 2), a non-use position (FIG. 8) with the compartment opened (see also FIG. 7), and an oblique use position. The oblique use position is denoted in FIG. 8 with broken lines and the reference numeral The main parts of the guiding mechanism are grooves and rails 27, which are made integrally of synthetic resin on the inner sides of the compartment side walls 44 and their extensions 44a. At both ends the covering board 5 rests on a respective horizontal guiding rail part 28 in the closing position. Via an oblique part 29 of the guiding rail it can be displaced onto a forward part 29a of the oblique guidi'ng rail into the non-use position. In the oblique use position it rests on a steep guiding rail part 30, which is adjacent to the oblique part 29 of the rail 27. For guiding and holding a pin or a spring 38 at each end of the covering board 5 the pin fits into a corresponding guide groove 20, which consists of a widened groove part 22, at whose outlet 25 there is a straight groove part 26 intended for the nonuse position of the covering board 5 and a branched groove 21 intended for the oblique use position of the covering board.

A part of the lower and side edges of the covering board 5 is provided with reinforcing ribs 55 (see FIG. 6) so that even when the covering board is used frequently no detectable wear can occur.

In order to ensure that the covering board can be securely held in the closing position detent balls 56 (see FIGS. 6, 7, and 8) can be provided at the end of the compartment side walls 44 remote from the user and it is also possible to provide a corresponding ramp groove 57 adjacent to the widened part 22 of the groove (see FIG. 8). Furthermore, in a compartment side wall 44 and the associated upper closing board it is advantageous to provide a lock for locking the covering board 5 in the closed position, as can be seen from FIG. 6. The cylinder lock 64, provided for this purpose (see also FIG. 7), is accessible from the upper closing board 75, while its lock tongue 65 extends into a keeper 66 on locking. The keeper 66 is moulded at the adjacent end of the covering board 5 below the latter. A facing plate 63 serves to hold the lock on the side wall 44 of the compartment.

The desk top 4, which is also preferably made of syn- I thetic resin, has on its rear edge 18 remote from the user, a convex profile intended for engagement with a corresponding, concave profile, and with the corresponding connecting faces 19 of the stable front walls 74 of the support accommodating cavity 71 (see FIG. 4) and also the covering board 5 (see FIG. 3) on the front edge 13 of the latter. By means of film or foil hinges 72, which are are attached by means of screws 73 on the front walls 74, the desk top 4 is pivotally connected with the connecting faces 19 preferably owing to the profiled construction of the edges. This profiled construction provides, in every position of the desk top, for a gapless transition from the desk top 4 to the surfaces of the upper covering boards 75 and to the upper side 10 of the covering board 5 in' the closing position of the latter. Furthermore, the pivoting connection is completely invisible and is internally screened off from the trough-shaped receptacle 9, located underneath the desk top 4 by the extension 44a of the side walls 44. Furthermore, this type of pivoting connection between the desk top 4 and the remaining parts of the desk body is particularly stable and robust.

In the oblique use position the end, adjacent to the user, of the desk top 4 rests on parts of the frame board 70, which provide for a reliable supporting action. In this condition the support rail 76 is folded inwards (see FIG. 8). By means of hinges 84 which are arranged on the inside surfaces of the side of the frame board 70 directly behind the frame edge 77 and its middle part 78, the support rail 76 can be gripped through holding holes 79 in the frame board 70 on the lower side and can be swung upwards until it abuts against the frame edge 77 and its centre part 78. The hinges 84 are preferably so constructed that one part of each of them is made integrally with the frame board 70 of synthetic resin. An other preferred embodiment for swinging up the support rail is shown in FIGS. 9 to 13 and will be described below. On swinging up the support rail the desk top is simultaneously pivoted into its horizontal position so that one single hand movement is sufficient for swinging up and fixing the position of the desk top 4. The drawings indicate that the design is in each case so selected that the sliding movements of the cover board 5 and the pivoting movements of the desk top 4 do not hinder each other in any respect.

The desk top 4 preferably has stiffening ribs 62 on its lower side 16. Also the trough-shaped receptacle 9 is preferably stiffened by means of ribs, care being taken to see that these ribs provide for a suitable division up of the receptacle for depositing articles in it. A transversely running dividing rib 85 inside the arrangement forms a border between the receptacle 9 and the desk compartment 6. I

In order for the trough-shaped receptacle 9 to be readily accessible the desk top 4 can be pivoted open to a considerable extent. For providing a limitation or abutment in the upper position an arm 80 is provided on both lateral edges of the desk top underneath. Each arm 80 has an abutment head 81, which as will appear from FIG. 3, in its upper position, as indicated by reference numeral 4, runs against a counter abutment 82, the two counter abutments 82 being arranged respectively on the inner sides of the extensions 2a of the side boards. 7

In the oblique use position the desk top 4 is, as can be seen for example from FIG. 1, encompassed by the extensions 2a of the side boards 2 which have slightly proud edge, just as is the case on the edges adjacent to the user. In this case it is edged by the slightly proud framing edges 77 and the middle part 78, extending a certain distance above the desk top, of the framing edge of the frame board 70. At the position adjacent to the compartment such framing edges are also provided, as can be seen for example from FIG. 3. Lower lateral beads 86 form the lateral sides of the desk top 4 and are arranged both in the oblique and also horizontal position of the desk top 4 between the extensions 2a of the side boards 2 and the support rail 76.

In the case of the preferred arrangement for raising and fixing the support rail 76 and the desk top 4 and for retaining them (see FIGS. 9 to 13) a setting lever 87 is provided whose front end has a pin 93 with a circular cross section. This pin serves as a pivot connectionwith the support rail 76 and is arranged in a slots 94 of two bearing eyes 95 so as to provide a sliding and rotary movement. The bearing eyes acceptthe front end of the setting lever 87 between them and are moulded on the inner side of the support rail, as will be seen from the drawing. In the trough 9 of the desk a box-shaped raised portion 91 is moulded which has an upper part 92. In the raised portion 91 a slot 90 is provided for receiving the setting lever 87. On the upper part 92 of the raised portion immediately adjacent to the edged of the slot 90 a pair of ramps 99 are provided. A second pair of ramps 98 are provided in a recessed portion of the framing board betweenthe framing edge 77 andthe boxed raised portion 91. The ramps 98 and 99 cooperate with shoes 96 and 97 respectively arranged laterally on the shank 88 of the setting lever 87 in pairs. A handle 89 extends obliquely downwards from the setting lever 87 and is located in the interior of the downwardly open box-shaped raised portion 91.

For assembly the setting lever 87 is inserted through a widened portion 100 at the end, remote from the user, of the guide slot 90 from below with an exception of its broad handle 89 (see FIG. 13), which remains in the box-shaped raised portion 91. By means of the pin 93 the connection with the bearing eyes 95 is produced and the arrangement is now ready for operation. FIG. 14 shows the arrangement for holding up the desk top 4, broken lines showing therest position of the latter with the aid of the reference numerals 87', 4, 76' etc.

For pivoting up the support rail 76 and for simultaneous raising of the desk top the handle is pushed in the direction of the arrow 101 (see FIG. 9 and more particularly FIG. 14) so that the shoes 96 and 97 slide on the ramps 98 and 99 and owing to the inclination of the ramp surfaces move the shank .88 upwards. Thepin 93 firstly slides in the bearing eye 95 into the outermost left-hand position and simultaneously the support rail 76 is raised because the front part of the lever is raised.

ln'this manner the first phase of raising the support rail 76 and the desk top 4 is substantially facilitated. During further movement of the setting lever 87 the support rail 76 moves along the path 102 shown in broken lines in FIG. 9, in the direction of the arrow 103 owing to the pressure of the lever 87 until the position of FIG. 14 shown in broken lines is attained. In this position the shoes 97 and 97' respectively slide behind the end edges of the ramps 99, so that the lever 87 and 87 respectively, and thus also the support rail 76 and 76 re spectively are locked. For returning the support rail and the desk top the handle 89, which extends inside the raised portion 91 is displaced in the direction oppo' site to that indicated by the arrow 101 until the support rail 76 again lies against the frame edge of the frame board.

The setting lever 87 consists of a synthetic resin moulding. With the exception of the desk top 4, the covering board 5, and the support rail 76 and also the various fittings the desk body 1 consist of a single synthetic resin moulding, as mentioned above, so that all guide means, framing edges, connecting surfaces, the box-shaped raised portion and the like can easily be made by moulding and do not, for practical purposes, require any additional working or fitting operations. Furthermore, the desk is extraordinarily rigid in construction so that it is fully able to withstand the rough usage which it may be put to in school.

- In order to enable the covering board to be brought readily into the closed position and so that its edge 13 lies in this position on the edge 18. of the desk top, it is very advantageous to provide. one or more resilient elements on the underside of the desk top adjacent to the edge 18. Such a resilient element can be in the form of a rubber band (not shown). Each end of such an elastic element is fixed on the frame board 70, for example on the sides of the trough 9 in such a manner that they exert a tension action on the covering board when the latter is moved out of its non-use position beneath the desk top, that is to say away from the user. It is clear that the elastic parts facilitate the movement of the covering board into the non-use position and into the oblique position. 7

What we claim is:

l. A school desk comprising a desk top arranged between two spaced side boards, said desk top having an upper surface and a lower surface and having a front edge, a rear edge and lateral edges extending therebetween;

a compartment disposed rearwardly of and adjacent to said desk top, said compartment extending across substantially the entirewidth of the desk, being accessible from above and including front and rear walls;

a covering board for said compartment;

compartment side walls spaced'inwardly from said side boards and defining, with saidside boards and said compartment front and rear walls, a pair of support cavities; 7 v

guide grooves and guide rails arranged on said side walls and extensions thereof forpermitting'sliding movement of said covering boardbetween ahorizontal closing position in which said covering board closes said compartment, an oblique non-use position in which said covering board is disposed beneath said desk top and an oblique use position; a pair of desk supports for supporting said desk on a floor, each said support having an upper portion detachably secured to a respective side wall within 1 l a respective support cavity, the length of said sup ports located within said support cavities being selected from a plurality of predetermined lengths to achieve a desired height of thedesk above the floor;

closing boards covering the tops of said support cavities and coplanar with said covering board when said covering board is in its horizontal closing position;

hinge means connecting said desk top to the front walls of said support cavities;

a frame board underlying said desk top and fixedly connected to said side boards and supporting the front end of said desk top when said desk top is in a forwardly downwardly inclined position; and

a supporting rail for said desk top, pivotally connected to said frame board adjacent the front end of said frame board, said pivotal connection providing for pivoting of said supporting rail between a generally horizontal position in which said desk top is inclined forwardly downwardly, and a generally vertical position in which said desk top engages said supporting rail in such manner as to maintain said desk top in an elevated horizontal position generally coplanar with said closing boards and said covering board in its closing position.

2. A school desk according to claim 1 wherein said supporting rail extends across substantially the entire width of said frame board. I 3. A school desk according to claim 1 wherein said frame board includes a front framing edge with said supporting rail pivotal connection positioned directly therebehind, and wherein said supporting rail is positioned to abut said front framing edge when in said generally vertical position. i

4. A school desk according to claim 1 wherein said frame board is provided with an opening located beneath and adjacent to said supporting rail when said supporting rail is in its generally horizontal position, whereby a user may insert his hand through said opening to manipulate said supporting rail between said generally horizontal position and said generally verticalposition.

5. A school desk according to claim 1 wherein the rear edge of said desk top has a convex profile and the adjacent surfaces of said front walls of said support cavities and the front edge of said covering board include a corresponding concave profile.

6. A school desk according to claim 1 wherein said side boards, said compartment side walls, said compartment front and rear walls, said vertical side boards and i said frame board comprise a single moulded component of synthetic resin.

7. A school deskaccording to claim 1 further comprising an arm provided adjacent each lateral edge of said desk top on the lower surface thereof, each said arm having an abutment head at one end thereof; and an inwardly projecting counter abutment provided on each side board and positioned to engage the corresponding abutment head arm when said desk top is pivoted about said hinge means to an extreme forwardly upwardly projecting position. 8. A school desk according to claim 1 wherein said frame board comprises a receptacle trough.

9. A school desk according to claim 1 further comprising a supporting rail setting lever including a shank and an angled handle, said lever connected to and extending transversely of said supporting rail, whereby movement of said lever transversely of said supporting rail may actuate said supporting rail between said generally horizontal position and said generally vertical position; and a guide slot formed in said frame board for guiding said lever, said slot extending transversely of said support rail, with said lever handle extending there.- through. 10. A school desk according to claim 9 wherein said frame board further includes anupwardly extending raised portion, open from below, with said upwardly extending portion being provided with said guide slot,

whereby said setting lever handle may move within said raised portion during said supporting rail actuation.

11. A school desk according to claim 9 wherein said connection between said lever and said supporting rail comprises a pair of spaced, elongated bearing eyes formed on said supporting rail and a pin extending through said lever shank distal said handle and engaging said bearing eyes for rotational and translational movement therewith, and wherein said setting lever is provided with two pairs of sliding members adapted to cooperate with two pairs of ramp members formed on said frame board adjacent said guide slot and extending longitudinally thereof, whereby movement of said setting lever longitudinally of said slot may cause a portion of said setting lever to be lifted or lowered, thus causing said supporting rail to be moved between said generally horizontal position and said generally vertical position. 

1. A school desk comprising a desk top arranged between two spaced side boards, said desk top having an upper surface and a lower surface and having a front edge, a rear edge and lateral edges extending therebetween; a compartment disposed rearwardly of and adjacent to said desk top, said compartment extending across substantially the entire width of the desk, being accessible from above and including front and rear walls; a covering board for said compartment; compartment side walls spaced inwardly from said side boards and defining, with said side boards and said compartment front and rear walls, a pair of support cavities; guide grooves and guide rails arranged on said side walls and extensions thereof for permitting sliding movement of said covering board between a horizontal closing position in which said covering board closes said compartment, an oblique non-use position in which said covering board is disposed beneath said desk top and an oblique use position; a pair of desk supports for supporting said desk on a floor, each said support having an upper portion detachably secured to a respective side wall within a respective support cavity, the length of said supports located within said support cavities being selected from a plurality of predetermined lengths to achieve a desired height of the desk above the floor; closing boards covering the tops of said support cavities and coplanar with said covering board when said covering board is in its horizontal closing position; hinge means connecting said desk top to the front walls of said support cavities; a frame board underlying said desk top and fixedly connected to said side boards and supporting the front end of said desk top when said desk top is in a forwardly downwardly inclined position; and a supporting rail for said desk top, pivotally connected to said frame board adjacent the front end of said frame board, said pivotal connection providing for pivoting of said supporting rail between a generally horizontal position in which said desk top is inclined forwardly downwardly, and a generally vertical position in which said desk top engages said supporting rail in such manner as to maintain said desk top in an elevated horizontal position generally coplanar with said closing boards and said covering board in its closing position.
 2. A school desk according to claim 1 wherein said supporting rail extends across substantially the entire width of said frame board.
 3. A school desk according to claim 1 wherein said frame board includes a front framing edge with said supporting rail pivotal connection positioned directly therebehind, and wherein said supporting rail is positioned to abut said front framing edge when in said generally vertical position.
 4. A school desk according to claim 1 wherein said frame board is provided with an opening located beneath and adjacent to said supporting rail when said supporting rail is in its generally horizontal position, whereby a user may insert his hand through said opening to manipulate said supporting rail between said generally horizontal position and said generally vertical position.
 5. A school desk according to claim 1 wherein the rear edge of said desk top has a convex profile and the adjacent surfaces of said front walls of said support cavities and the front edge of said covering board include a corresponding concave profile.
 6. A school desk according to claim 1 wherein said side boards, said compartment side walls, said compartment front and rear walls, said vertical side boards and said frame board comprise a single moulded component of synthetic resin.
 7. A school desk according to claim 1 further comprising an arm provided adjacent each lateral edge of said desk top on the lower surface thereof, each said arm having an abutment head at one end thereof; and an inwardly projecting counter abutment provided on each side board and positioned to engage the corresponding abutment head arm when said desk top is pivoted about said hinge means to an extreme forwardly upwardly projecting position.
 8. A school desk according to claim 1 wherein said frame board comprises a receptacle trough.
 9. A school desk according to claim 1 further comprising a supporting rail setting lever including a shank and an angled handle, said lever connected to and extending transversely of said supporting rail, whereby movement of said lever transversely of said supporting rail may actuate said supporting rail between said generally horizontal position and said generally vertical position; and a guide slot formed in said frame board for guiding said lever, said slot extending transversely of said support rail, with said lever handle extending therethrough.
 10. A school desk according to claim 9 wherein said frame board further includes an upwardly extending raised portion, open from below, with said upwardly extending portion being provided with said guide slot, whereby said setting lever handle may move within said raised portion during said supporting rail actuation.
 11. A school desk according to claim 9 wherein said connection between said lever and said supporting rail comprises a pair of spaced, elongated bearing eyes formed on said supporting rail and a pin extending through said lever shank distal said handle and engaging said bearing eyes for rotational and translational movement therewith, and wherein said setting lever is provided with two pairs of sliding members adapted to cooperate with two pairs of ramp members formed on said frame board adjacent said guide slot and extending longitudinally thereof, whereby movement of said setting lever longitudinally of said slot may cause a portion of said setting lever to be lifted or lowered, thus causing said supporting rail to be moved between said generally horizontal position and said generally vertical position. 